Shloka 12

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता ।

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥

Transliteration

yā devī sarvabhūteṣu viṣṇumāyeti śabditā / namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ

Translation

যি দেৱী সকলো ভূতত ‘বিষ্ণু-মায়া’ বুলি কথিত—তাঁক নমস্কাৰ, নমস্কাৰ, নমস্কাৰ; পুনঃপুনঃ নমস্কাৰ।

Word by Word

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Relative pronoun; Nominative singular feminine

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular feminine

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु भूतेषु); Locative plural neuter

• विष्णुमाया: Viṣṇu’s Māyā
• विष्णुमाया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः माया); Nominative singular feminine

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय; quotative particle ‘thus’

• शब्दिता: is called
• शब्दिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शब्द् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle ‘called/denoted’

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; exclamatory usage

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; Dative singular feminine pronoun ‘to her’

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; exclamatory usage

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; repetition

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; exclamatory usage

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; repetition

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; exclamatory usage

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; repetition for emphasis

Speakers

• Devas (collective hymn; refrain-like verse)

Primary Deities

• Devi
• Vishnu (by association: Viṣṇu-māyā)

Shakti Aspects

• ['Vishnumaya (immanent in all beings)']

Key Themes

• Immanence of Shakti
• Maya doctrine
• Mantric repetition
• Universal indwelling divinity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Seeing Devi present ‘in all beings’ grounds compassion and restraint: harming others contradicts reverence for the indwelling Śakti; devotion becomes an ethic of universal respect.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A liturgical/theological refrain within the Purāṇic narrative; it supports dharma (right conduct) through metaphysical teaching of divine immanence.

What is the esoteric significance?

Viṣṇu-māyā here is not mere illusion but the cosmic power by which the One appears as many. The triple ‘namas’ functions like mantra-japa, stabilizing the mind in recognition of Śakti’s omnipresence.